Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday warned the United States not to “interfere” with her government’s response to the city’s pro-democracy movement after fresh protests called on Washington to ramp up pressure on Beijing.

Millions of people have demonstrated over the last 14 weeks in the biggest challenge to China’s rule of the financial hub since its handover from Britain in 1997.

On Sunday, protesters took to the streets and started marching to the American consulate to call on Congress to pass a bill expressing support for the pro-democracy movement.

The proposed law could undermine Hong Kong’s special US trade privileges by mandating regular checks on whether authorities were respecting the Basic Law that underpins the city’s semi-autonomous status.

But Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that any change to its economic relationship with Washington would threaten “mutual benefits”.

Lam once again denounced demonstrators during her press conference.

“The crazy destruction made at MTR stations shows that protesters have acted beyond expressing their views on the extradition law and other demands”, she said.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters gather on to the streets at the city’s international airport set to be a hub for the demonstrations for the third time in two months.

“Five Demands, Not One Less!” has become the protester’s new rallying cry, indicating they will not give up on the further actions they want the government to take”, pro-democracy activists said.

Politicians said that the concession on the extradition bill was too little, too late.

Earlier this year, after large demonstrations in the Chinese- controlled territory, Lam had suspended the contentious extradition bill in June but did not withdraw it.

The Hong Kong chief now has formally withdrawn the proposed law. The move meets one of five demands made by the protestors.

Other demands include an independent investigation of reports that some police officers brutally attacked demonstrators. Another is for Hong Kongers to have more freedom when choosing their own leaders.

On the day Lam announced the bill’s withdrawal, Hong Kong’s leading measure of stock prices rose nearly four per cent — possibly a good sign from the business community.